


The Empress

by darkrosaleen



Category: Bandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Coming Out, Crossdressing, M/M, Omens & Portents, Van Days
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-09-30 13:00:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17224532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkrosaleen/pseuds/darkrosaleen
Summary: A Chicago coven travels to New Jersey and turns Mikey's life inside out.





	The Empress

**Author's Note:**

  * For [stoplightglow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stoplightglow/gifts).



Mikey was being stalked by crows. 

For the past three weeks, they'd lurked across from the entrance to his apartment like black gargoyles, screaming bloody murder—no pun intended—every time Mikey walked outside. Mikey knew that crows had meanings other than impending death, but he was too freaked out to remember them. 

Gerard probably did, though, so Mikey went over to his brother's place and set aside a whole evening to dig through Gerard's collection of esoteric grimoires. Sometimes it paid to have a brother who was a massive nerd. 

Four hours and two pizzas later, all Gerard had produced was an unreadable list of obscure crow symbolism, most of which was only applicable to long-dead sects. Mikey doubted he'd be getting pregnant or inheriting a cow anytime soon.

Gerard sighed and threw the list on top of an empty pizza box. "I give up. It all circles back to tricksters and death, one way or the other."

Mikey swallowed the lump in his throat. "Tricksters aren't so bad, right? My life has been kind of boring lately."

Gerard's eyes went wide. "Wait a second." He launched himself off the couch and went over to the game cabinet under the TV, returning with a battered deck of tarot cards. Mikey cleared the books off the couch cushion between them.

The first card Gerard laid down was Death. "Bingo! Just like I thought. Crows mean death, but death doesn't have to mean _death_ death. Maybe the crows mean a big change, something that will kill an aspect of your life so it can be reborn."

The next card Gerard drew was The Tower. Mikey inhaled sharply—he was definitely heading towards a big change, and not necessarily a good one. The card depicted a man plummeting from a flaming tower, face twisted in a grimace. 

"Just pick the next one," Mikey said, pulling his knees up under his chin. He always felt slightly naked when Gerard read his cards; Gerard was the one who'd inherited their grandmother's knack for them.

Gerard pulled the last card. He laughed when he saw the illustration, tension visibly leaving his body. "The Empress." He set the card next to the others, revealing an elegant woman on a tall throne. "I guess you have girl trouble in your future, Mikes. Some kind of feminine force is going to crash into your life and leave carnage in its wake, but it'll all be worth it. Hopefully."

Mikey shivered. "It's definitely a girl?"

Gerard frowned at the cards. "No, not necessarily." He tilted his head. "Actually, I'm pretty sure it's not. This is femininity in an unexpected or hidden place." He tossed his head, like he was shaking off a vision. "Maybe you'll uncover a secret lingerie cartel in the bar basement and have to join witness protection."

Mikey laughed and threw a pillow at him, squashing down the squirming feeling in his stomach.

-

When Mikey saw the poster next to the bar bathroom, the bottom dropped out of his stomach. A man plunging from a tower, and FALL OUT BOY in big block letters. They were playing four shows this weekend.

Mikey asked Ray, because he knew everyone in every band that swung through Jersey, but he just gave Mikey a blank stare. "You're sure the poster just went up? Five days isn't much notice."

"They're from the Chicago coven," Frank said. "That band is fucking stacked, dude. Andy Hurley on drums, Patrick Stump on vocals. I bet they waved their hands in Illinois and the poster just appeared here."

"That's uncalled for," Ray said. "They must be pretty good, if they're playing all the way down here."

That seemed to be the consensus from everyone Mikey talked to—no one had heard this Fall Out Boy band, but they all knew someone who liked them, and their live shows were supposed to be legendary. Maybe Frank was right, and it was all an elaborate glamour being spun by this Stump guy. Midwestern witches were too nice; Mikey didn't trust anyone who wouldn't punch him in the face if he deserved it.

-

As it turned out, Stump wasn't the one they needed to worry about. As soon as Mikey walked into the bar, he was drawn to a dark-haired guy perched on a barstool in the back, talking to a captivated group of onlookers. His smile beamed like sunshine from all the way across the room, and Mikey found himself wanting to move closer.

As soon as the guy spotted Mikey, his smile grew even wider. "Baby Way!" He leaned up and pulled a startled Mikey into a hug. Mikey recognized the sweet smell of women's deodorant. "I just met your brother, he told me you play bass. I'm Pete, my band's playing here tomorrow."

Mikey extricated himself from Pete's embrace. "Yeah, I play in Gee's band. Mikey Way."

Pete's eyes crinkled up when he smiled. "Pleased to meet you, Mikeyway." Mikey liked the way Pete said his name. "Let me buy you a drink, and you can tell me all about the Way brothers band."

Pete and Mikey were soon deep in conversation, talking about bands they liked and annoying tour habits of their bandmates. Unlike some attractive people who knew they were attractive, Pete wasn't intimidating to talk to. Mikey felt like he could keep talking to him for hours.

They found their way back to Mikey's apartment just before sunrise, collapsing together on the couch. One minute they were talking animatedly about zombie movies, and the next Mikey was groggily waking up with the couch afghan tucked around both of them, Pete snoring on his shoulder. His hair fluffed up at all angles, making him look like a ruffled bird.

Mikey didn't want to wake him, so he let himself fall back asleep. When he woke again he was alone, and there was an empty coffee mug and a slip of paper with a motel address on the coffee table. There was a shiny lip gloss kiss print at the bottom.

Mikey was still staring at it when Frank wandered in and placed a mug of lukewarm coffee in front of him. "Sorry for cockblocking you. Did the princess turn into a frog?"

Mikey rubbed his eyes. "That's not how that story goes. You didn't cockblock me, we were just talking." 

Frank snorted. "Yeah, and Ray's the pope." He flopped onto the couch next to Mikey and turned on the TV. "What time are you leaving for the show tonight?"

There wasn't a question that they'd be checking Fall Out Boy that night at the bar. Mikey shrugged. "Whenever my makeup's done."

Mikey put on more than just makeup. He dug a battered duffel bag out from under his bed and rifled through it, surveying women's underwear styles from five years ago. He hadn't gone shopping in a while, although the internet made this whole thing a lot easier.

Mikey was drawn to a pair of simple baby blue cotton panties with little dots and a white bow. He pulled them on, then put his tightest jeans on over them, enjoying the snug way they fit. He put on eyeliner and gelled his hair, then put on a faded Dead Kennedys tee. At the last minute, he grabbed a women's denim jacket that was a little cropped on his lanky torso, but could mostly pass for unisex.

Frank gave him a look when he walked out of his bedroom. "Somebody dressed up." He probably meant the extra eyeliner, but Mikey blushed all the same.

-

Fall Out Boy really did put on an awesome live show. Maybe it was the songwriting, or maybe Stump really was a dark witch who could hypnotize an entire crowd, but the bar felt more electric than Mikey had felt in a long time. He could tell that this band was going places.

Mikey couldn't stop watching Pete. He was running and jumping all over the stage, nuzzling his bandmates and making eyes at the crowd. His hair was soaked with sweat, and Mikey found himself wanting to shove his fingers through it.

Pete dropped to the ground at some point, pushing up on his feet so that his shirt rode up over his lean, tattooed abs. His jeans rode low enough to reveal the unmistakable line of a pink thong strap. Mikey's eyes nearly fell out of his head. 

The next moment, Pete was on his feet again, dashing off to the other side of the stage. Hands shaking, Mikey leaned in close to Frank's ear. "Did you see what Pete's wearing?"

Frank gave him a puzzled look. "Clothes? Keep your boner under control, Mikes." 

After the show, as Frank was catching up with some of the tech guys, Mikey slipped away. He took a cab to Pete's motel, walking up to room 216 and waiting.

He waited for about ten minutes before the band showed up. The other three swiftly entered room 220, leaving Pete and Mikey standing alone in the hallway. Pete cocked his head, looking curiously at Mikey. "Are you my groupie?"

Mikey giggled. "I guess so. I've never been a groupie before."

Pete grinned. "I'm a pro. Let me show you." He pushed open the door and led Mikey inside, tightly squeezing his hand.

-

When Mikey arrived home the next morning, the crows were gone. He had several spectacular hickeys and smelled of Pete's weird fruity body spray. He also had a full face of lipstick, blush and eyeshadow, and he'd swapped his t-shirt for a purple cropped baby tee that was clearly from the women's department.

Frank's eyes bugged out when Mikey walked into the kitchen. "Good night, I see. Did you let Wentz play dress up with you?"

Mikey almost said yes. But his mind went back to the names Pete had whispered into his chest—Artemis, Isis, Guanyin.

"It's not dress up," Mikey said, forcing himself not to watch Frank like a hawk for his reaction. "It's just me."

Frank walked over and hugged Mikey. "Thanks, Mikes. Now take that lipstick off before you get it all over our coffee mugs."

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The Star (That Suicide Girl Magic Remix)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20487434) by [kinetikatrue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kinetikatrue/pseuds/kinetikatrue)




End file.
